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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. band — a music group
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pit — a hole
  14. band — a ring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — to crush
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pit — in a race
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com